Warmth in the Frost
by too enigmatic 2 b urs
Summary: AU.One-shot. Christmas is supposed to be about happiness, love and family. I'm not so sure about that. Especially when I'm spending it in a hospital, thinking what a total failure this holiday is for me.


**A/N:** I don't own Danny Phantom.

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><p>This was the worst Christmas ever.<p>

Grandma Ida was rushed to the hospital. Old age was catching up with her, aside from an onset of Alzheimer's, her lungs were getting weaker and racking coughs had unfortunately become part of her everyday life. Two days before Christmas Eve she was restless and had a slight fever. When I was about to feed her that evening, I panicked because her skin was like ice and her teeth were chattering. Mom called for an ambulance and we zoomed Grandma to Amity Hospital. Dad didn't know, he wasn't here.

He had been living abroad for three months now. Someone from a rank and file position in the Berlin office laundered money and he had to personally see to it. The culprit was now wanted internationally but the law enforcement hadn't gotten new intel as to his whereabouts.

And my mom? She cared about Grandma but she wasn't that concerned about her. She was always out socializing with her elite friends. She claimed this was part of her and dad's plan, to widen their connections. When she wasn't mingling with the filthy rich she was nagging me about setting my life straight because I wasn't 'getting any younger'. She kept pushing me to meet a 'nice, gorgeous, billion-dollar hunk' and marry him. My few college friends had become few college acquaintances.

The guys from my high school had built their own lives. Valerie Gray was now a master in multiple kinds of martial arts. Some rumors said she was working in the CIA. Star was a celebrity reporter. Kwan, a surgeon. Dash Baxter, an international football player. Paulina Sanchez, a tv actress. Tucker Foley had become the town's mayor. Danny Fenton. Well, nobody knew much about him, just that he didn't become an astronaut like he wanted to be when we were young. He was a very private person.

In other words, I was and felt absolutely alone.

I padded out to the entrance of the hospital and exhaled. I watched my breath billowed in the frigid air and rubbed my gloved hands together. I needed air. The holiday season in this building was suffocating. Christmas Eve in the hospital was depressing, at least for me.

The lobby was chock full of relatives and friends giving gifts and hugs to everybody. It made me look and feel pathetic hanging around there wrapped up in a black jacket alone. One of the female nurses kept sending me pitied glances and I had to get away before she drag me to their festivities and 'make me happy' by giving me gifts that was supposed to be for patients. Gran was asleep in her room anyway so she wouldn't worry about me. Thank God her condition stabled. She still had fever but the chills episode didn't occur anymore. I sighed again and let my eyes wander around, everything was white and cold.

A cup of steaming chocolate drink appeared in front of me. My eyes traced the hand holding it to its owner and I gasped in surprise.

"Before you say anything, let me have my theories first. You're in the hospital on Christmas Eve because your broken heart needs medical attention. Or you're in an advocate against slaughtering animals and you're on a mission to rip away all the Christmas hams from people's plates."

I chuckled and my cheeks heated. He remembered. "The latter is more plausible than the first one. Just for the record, if my heart's broken, I wouldn't be in a hospital. I'd probably be in jail for putting the heartbreaker in the hospital." I accepted the cup of hot chocolate and enjoyed its warm, pleasant aroma.

He laughed merrily at my response and I stopped savoring my chocolate to join him. "Long time no see, Sam."

"You too, Danny." We both paused a little awkwardly waiting for the other to say something.

"So, how's life?" We both asked simultaneously then stared at each other before breaking into another fit of laughter. I felt better. Maybe laughter really was the best medicine. I took a sip of the hot chocolate.

"Ladies, first." I swallowed and licked my lips nervously. I suddenly felt conscious around him.

"Uhm… good?" I answered lamely and darted my gaze to the snow-covered lot across the hospital, shifting my weight on my other boot. "You?"

"Good. I'm good, too. Great!" He gave me one of his lopsided smiles and I felt the warmth of the chocolate spread from my stomach up to my chest and arms. My lips curled upward. I couldn't help it, his grin was contagious.

"So what are you really doing here?"

I shrugged and fisted my hands. It was definitely getting colder out. "Just needed a professional advice about something." His sky blue eyes opened wider as if motioning me to elaborate. "You know, which one's wiser and faster way to go, get hypothermia or gulp down muriatic acid."

Danny's eyes turned sharp. His jaw clenched. "That's not funny."

I sighed and dropped my gaze, scuffing the toe of my boot to the snow. I didn't mean to answer him that way. I hadn't told anyone about the latest news in my family and I was planning not to. Nobody ever asked me anyway so it wasn't a difficult plan to execute. I glanced at Danny, his arms crossed over his chest and still waiting for my explanation. That was when I noticed he didn't have a chocolate drink and he was sporting a gray, not thick enough and non-thermal sweatshirt.

"Are you crazy? It's freezing out here! Are you trying to be a human ice statue?"

He wasn't even fazed by my outburst. He just shrugged and said, "I'm cold-proof." He inclined his head toward me to make sure we return to the topic at hand.

I closed my eyes briefly. He wasn't distracted at all. I let out another breath and leaned against the marble column. "My grandma Ida is here. Chills and, uh, lung problems." I honestly didn't want to divulge more information but I saw the look on Danny's face and I knew where his thoughts were going. "She's fine now. Just under observation."

Danny actually appeared relieved. I was a skeptical person but when it came to him, I always felt that his emotions were sincere. He was waiting for me to add details but I wanted to be vague. I was never good at telling people what happened and what I really feel. This wasn't an exception. "How about you?"

He hesitated with a slight frown. I bet he was puzzled at my behavior but he didn't say a thing. We weren't close anyway so he didn't have the right to be so nosy.

"Oh, we had an emergency prenatal check up."

My heart squeezed for some reason and I wiped all emotion on my face. "_Oh._ I, uh, didn't know you're going to be a father."I swallowed. "Congratulations." I nodded and forced a smile. I raised my right hand awkwardly, should I actually shake his hand or give him a pat on the shoulder? Should I even touch him?

Instead of grabbing my hand, he went for my shoulders and wrapped me in his warms. I was so shocked to respond and he released me quickly but not before I swear, he prolonged the moment like he didn't want to let me go. I dismissed this thought as soon as he cleared his throat and claimed that he was just so happy.

"A baby is always a blessing." I found myself saying. I might have gotten that from my grandma Ida or from someone in a tv show. I didn't know. In fact, I didn't know if I should still talk or shut up.

"She's really happy. We all are. We were enjoying dinner when she screamed. Everybody freaked out. We thought that she's going to give birth on Christmas Eve, turned out it's just a false alarm."

"Mr. Fenton? Mrs. Fenton's looking for you. She says she has something to ask you." A black-haired, tall, male nurse in scrubs gave a curt nod and prepared to leave.

"Yes, thanks." Danny muttered. "She should've just called me."

The nurse, whose name plate said Nick, turned around again. "She, uh, claimed to have called you a hundred times but you weren't picking up."

Danny immediately groped around his pockets and when he fished out his phone, he scratched the back of his neck. "30 missed calls."Then his phone gave a final bleep and his eyes widened. "Low battery." He rolled his eyes and showed the nurse that his phone just died.

"Thanks again…Nick." Danny nodded and the nurse gave another nod and smile before he went back inside.

"I uh, got to go."

"Sure. No problem."

Danny hesitated. "Do you er…want to come?"

I paused. Did I honestly want to come? No. Okay, maybe a little. I was curious about the _Mrs._ Fenton and whether the baby was a boy or a girl.

"Okay." I finally squeaked.

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><p>The room they were occupying was not as huge as Grandma Ida's. It was big enough to hold four to five people and gave a comfortable ambiance. The walls were pristine white like the others, the door a solid oak. The single bed was on the side and couches were placed on the other. A flat screen tv resided at the south wall.<p>

There were three people in the room. I recognized Danny's parents instantly. They were a lovely, quirky couple whom someone would never forget. Jack Fenton was sprawled on the couch, munching on what appeared to be fudge and Danny's mother, Maddie Fenton, was seated on a plastic chair beside the bed.

The door closed and then their eyes were curiously watching us.

"Is she okay?" Danny asked jittery.

His mother glanced at the still female figure lying sideways on bed with her back to us. "Thank God, she's alright." She sighed then turned angry eyes at Danny. "Why weren't you answering your damn phone?"

"I- it's on silent mode and I forgot to turn the ringer back."

"I was so worried!"

"Mom, I'm sorry."

Maddie glared at her son then smiled at me. "Hey, Sam." She got up and went to hug me. "Gosh, you're all grown up! You're so beautiful!"

"T-thanks?" I was surprised that she still knew my name. Danny and I were just classmates back in high school. I'd never been invited to their place.

"Oh, come on. Sit down. Jack? Jack, make room for Danny's _friend."_

I would've made conclusions with her tone but Danny was going to be a father soon and becoming a home-wrecking slut was not on my Christmas wish list.

The auburn-haired woman on the bed shifted, she was apparently awake and listening. She turned and I lost the ability to speak.

She smiled at me kindly then glowered at Danny. "You suck."

"What?" Danny was aghast.

The woman was huge! She pushed herself up and offered her hand. "Hi, Sam. I don't know if you remember me but I'm Jazz. Danny's sister. The father of my child is Tucker Foley, Danny's friend."

"I know. I remember you." I murmured, shaking her hand awkwardly still reeling from shock.

"Good. I can tell by the look on your face that Danny didn't clear anything."

"No,it's—"

"No worries. My brother's the half idiot when it comes to you anyway. There's a restaurant around the block. Danny? You should take Sam there, apologize and explain."

"B-but—"

"Order everything you want, Sam and make him pay. He's been stalking you around the hospital for three days now. And I'm sick of it."

"I am not!" Danny exclaimed like a child.

"Uh, okay?" The frown on my face was so evident the Fentons except for Danny, found it funny.

"Thanks, Sam." Jazz Fenton smiled at me. "And welcome to the family."

Maybe this wasn't the worst Christmas at all.

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><p><strong>AN: **Happy Holidays!

A few notes, Sam and Danny weren't best friends. I know Sam's Jewish. And I'm thinking about making this a two-shot or post a sequel. IF _you_ want.

Thank you so much for reading! I'd like to know your thoughts about this one.

Have a happy Christmas and New Year. :)

~T.E


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